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Healthcare assistant jobs offer a fulfilling career in the healthcare field, providing essential support to patients and medical staff. Healthcare assistants, also known as nursing assistants, help with tasks like personal care, feeding, and monitoring patient conditions. They play a crucial role in delivering 24-hour care in various settings, such as hospitals, care homes, and community care.

If you’re looking for a secure and rewarding career path, becoming a healthcare assistant in the NHS is an excellent choice. In this blog, we’ll cover the key responsibilities of a healthcare assistant, the qualifications needed, and how to find NHS healthcare assistant jobs, including healthcare assistant jobs near me.

What Does a Healthcare Assistant Do?

Healthcare assistants (HCAs) play a vital role in the healthcare system, ensuring patients receive the care and attention they need on a day-to-day basis. They work closely with nurses and other medical staff, supporting them in a variety of tasks. Below, we outline their key responsibilities and the different settings where HCAs can be found.

Key Responsibilities of an HCA

Healthcare assistants are responsible for a range of essential tasks that help ensure the well-being and comfort of patients. Their duties include:

  • Personal Care Tasks: HCAs help patients with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding. They also assist with toileting and ensuring patients maintain good hygiene.
  • Supporting Nurses and Medical Staff: HCAs assist nursing staff by preparing medical equipment, taking vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, etc.), and helping with medical procedures when needed.
  • Monitoring Patient Conditions: Regularly checking on patients’ conditions, such as observing changes in health, tracking fluid intake and output, and noting any concerns. HCAs ensure that any issues are reported to nurses or doctors for further assessment.

These responsibilities make healthcare assistants an indispensable part of the care team, ensuring patients receive personalised and attentive care, whether in hospitals or at home.

Why Choose a Career as a Healthcare Assistant?

Healthcare assistant jobs offer a fulfilling and secure career, especially within the NHS. Let’s explore the benefits of becoming a healthcare assistant.

A Rewarding Career in the NHS

Healthcare assistants provide hands-on care, helping patients with essential daily tasks. This role offers job satisfaction through direct patient interaction. Whether assisting with personal care or offering emotional support, HCAs make a positive difference in patients’ lives.

By delivering 24-hour care, healthcare assistants help improve the well-being of patients in hospitals and care homes. The meaningful connections formed with patients add to the rewarding nature of this job.

Career Growth and Opportunities

A career as a healthcare assistant opens the door to further roles like nursing assistant jobs. Many HCAs pursue additional training to become nurses or specialise in fields such as mental health or maternity care.

The NHS supports career progression through training and development, making it easier to move up within the healthcare system. With many NHS jobs available, HCAs have opportunities for growth and specialisation.

Job Security and Stability

Healthcare assistant jobs offer excellent job security, especially within the NHS. With a high demand for nursing assistants and HCAs in hospitals, care homes, and for 24-hour care, employment is steady.

If you’re looking for healthcare assistant jobs near me or NHS healthcare assistant jobs, you’ll find plenty of opportunities across the country, ensuring a stable career path in a vital industry.

Qualifications and Skills Required for HCAs

Becoming a healthcare assistant doesn’t always require extensive qualifications, but certain certifications and key skills can help you succeed in this role.

Formal Qualifications

  • NVQ or Diploma in Health and Social Care: These are common qualifications that prepare you for healthcare assistant jobs.
  • Apprenticeships: An excellent way to gain hands-on experience while studying.
  • Work Experience: Volunteering or shadowing at hospitals or care homes can provide valuable experience, even without formal education.
  • On-the-Job Training: Some roles offer training while you work, allowing you to learn the skills needed for nursing assistant jobs.

Key Skills for Success

  • Compassion: Empathy and kindness are essential when caring for patients.
  • Communication: Clear communication with patients and staff is crucial.
  • Patience: Handling various patient needs requires understanding and patience.
  • Physical Stamina: HCAs often perform physically demanding tasks.
  • Teamwork: Working closely with nurses and other staff ensures the best patient care.

How Secure HealthCare Solutions Can Help You to Get a Healthcare Assistant Job

Secure HealthCare Solutions specialises in helping candidates find healthcare assistant jobs across various settings. Whether you’re searching for NHS healthcare assistant jobs or positions in private care homes, they offer tailored support to match your skills with the right opportunity. Their platform provides access to a wide range of roles, including nursing assistant jobs in hospitals and care facilities.

If you’re new to the field, Secure HealthCare Solutions can guide you through the application process. They help candidates prepare for interviews, create strong CVs, and find healthcare assistant jobs near me that fit their qualifications. With their expert advice, landing a role in the healthcare sector becomes much easier.

For those looking for roles that involve 24-hour care, Secure HealthCare Solutions connects you with employers who need round-the-clock support for patients. They specialise in matching candidates to nursing assistant and healthcare positions where demand is high. This ensures job security and continuous employment opportunities in the growing healthcare field.

Call to Action: Start Your Healthcare Assistant Journey Today

A career as a healthcare assistant is both rewarding and secure, offering numerous opportunities to make a positive impact on patients’ lives. Whether you’re looking for NHS healthcare assistant jobs or roles in private care, the demand for nursing assistants is high, ensuring long-term job stability. With the right skills and support from platforms like Secure HealthCare Solutions, finding healthcare assistant jobs near me is easier than ever. Start your journey today and enjoy a fulfilling career in healthcare.

Working as a Complex HCA, the role is more person-centered care and can include working in a service users’ home. Complex conditions can vary from anything which requires clinical support, such as Parkinson’s, acquired brain injuries or a neurological condition. Complex Conditions can also be a condition that requires nursing care as a result in primary conditions such as peg feeds and tracheostomy.

For a Complex Carer role, ideally a minimum of 6 months’ experience in a similar role can benefit you In making a good complex carer, however there is certain personal characteristics that you must have for you to pursue this career option such as:

  • Being Patient and having the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • Expressing a caring and friendly personality
  • Endurance
  • Communication skills
  • willing to do personal care

Complex Carer

Working as a Complex Carer has loads of responsibilities, these can vary from regular routines responsibilities but can also change depending on emergency needs such as tracheostomies or suctioning routines. With Complex Service users anything can happen at any time and a trained and experienced complex carer will be able to support the service user with ease.

As a Complex Care Assistant, the responsibilities may consist of:

  • Tracheostomy
  • Peg feeds
  • Spinal Injury
  • Acquired Brain Injury
  • Nebulisers
  • Suctioning
  • Moving and Handling
  • Personal Care
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Medication Administration
  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Gastronomy Care
  • Catheter Care
  • Bowel Care
  • Stoma Care
  • And many more

How can Secure Healthcare Solutions help?

At Secure Healthcare Solutions, we require 6 months minimum experience and provide full training to upskill you and for you as a Complex Carer to keep up to date with your training and your own skills.

Secure Healthcare Solutions always offers shadow shifts before getting you out to work so you have a feel on how the service user works and what their routine is. Going forward form your shadow shift a member from our inhouse clinical team will come out to support you and go through competencies and sign you off, by our clinical team doing this it allows you to work on the package and eventually you will have the opportunity to progress into being team leaders of the package and being a senior.

Secure Healthcare Solutions always have plenty of positions as a Complex Healthcare Assistant. As a UK’s leading nursing and staffing agency we work closely with the Care Commissioners Group (CCG) we always have the opportunity to provide services of care to either you or your family.

A quote from one of Complex Care Assistant

“Throughout my job I have to assess the needs of our service users to ensure tailored quality personal care is provides, listening to people is important, it Is vital that I communicate with service users, family members of those that I am providing care for and also with healthcare professionals to ensure that quality care and support is provided. Ever since the Covid 19 pandemic, it is also important that I use appropriate PPE to protect myself and others from Covid 19. This is done by me wearing gloves, aprons and using face masks and disinfecting surfaces when necessary”

To find out what positions we have available in our Complex Care department click on the link below:
https://securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk/jobs/

Being a Healthcare Assistant means is a very meaningful and rewarding job. Most importantly you are a front-line worker ensuring quality care and support is provided to those who require it. Providing care and the support needed for service users either within their own homes or in a residential home. We appreciate every single Healthcare Assistant who dedicates their lives to helping others.

The 6 Cs of care:

  • Compassion
  • Commitment
  • Care
  • Competency
  • Courage
  • Communication

Amy is one of our Healthcare assistants:

“ I work as a healthcare assistant in residential care for the elderly and people who require mental support. A typical start to the day is 08:00 am just after a handover from the night staff. Normally they go room to room assisting the residents either getting out of bed or going to prep the food for them. Some sit in either chair or on the side of the bed while others stay in bed and then wait for their breakfast. After this is completed, we then proceed to help the patients get ready.”

Regular tasks that are performed by health care assistants are personal care, washing, and turning patients, (Secure Healthcare Solutions provide Basic life support and Manual Handling training for all staff which is needed). Toileting, Incontinence care, mobilizing, feeding. It can also include observation reports for any possible problems that may have occurred.

Being a Healthcare Assistant is a very rewarding job. Although the days follow a similar routine, it does vary. Healthcare Assistants play a hands-on role with the people they care for. Over time they tend to build relationships of trust and respect the individuals and their own families.

Working as a Healthcare Assistant can also be a bit stressful from time to time. Some tasks are not the most pleasant but it is necessary at the time. It can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Some of the clients you provide a service of care to require a high demand of assistance and you have to be able to deal with it inevitably, times it could be dealing with their deaths too. Healthcare assistants are involved in shift patterns and they also require 24-hour care.

Healthcare Assistant

My time working nights as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA)

“A Nightshift is a bit different from a day shift when working in care. Personally, I would say I prefer night shifts compared to the day shifts; I normally prefer working nights. During the night shifts, I normally start around 8 pm so this means I would come in a bit earlier around 20-30 minutes earlier. During this time, I would receive a handover on what was done on the day, make myself something to drink, and prepare any documentation needed.”

“ I have been working in the Care sectors for 3 years now and I can never of asked for a better and more rewarding job”

Secure Healthcare Solutions offers many positions of being a Healthcare Assistant in and around the west midlands area.

For more opportunities Secure Healthcare Solutions has to offer please click on the link below:

https://securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk/jobs/

At Secure Healthcare, we are an ever-growing company that provides care and staff built on people. We strive to provide the best quality care and support to individuals across the Midlands and Staffordshire. Every member of our team is a valuable part in our journey to ensure that we achieve this together. We are committed to doing everything we can to help you realise your potential.

The identifying potential is the heart of everything we do. We believe that healthcare workers have the potential to achieve. At Secure you are in the right place, by providing the right support, training and development and career planning, there is potential to progress your career with us.

Within the company, if you are invested and committed, the support is there to make you progress your career with us.

Here at Secure, alongside telling individuals that we value them. We work closely with our staff to ensure they have a clear progression path, with a personalised learning plan to allow our staff achieve their next goal and these plans are constantly updated.

How does Secure Healthcare Solutions support work/life balance?
Our healthcare staff at Secure love their work, and we understand that everyone have their own lives too, Everyone, has their own commitments, such as children care, interests and hobbies and challenges occurring in society. Secure healthcare supports a flexible way to make this happen to create a work life balance. We want individuals to feel comfortable and happy in their personal life and at work.

Staff progression within the company
Here at Secure, over 70% of staff have been promoted internally, we are always providing opportunities with the company. There are always opportunities to get to your next step, whether it is a healthcare role or a role within the office, we are here to support you all the way.

How does Secure reward Staff?
Here at Secure healthcare, we offer competitive salaries to all our staff and pick up a lot of extra shifts to increase annual earnings. We offer flexible working hours to our staff to allow them have a good work life balance, so they can do the things they enjoy. We also have referral schemes, for healthcare staff referred, this allows you to increase your annual earnings.

Training opportunities at Secure Healthcare Solutions
Here at Secure, we heavily invest in training for our staff. We have a clinical team that provides healthcare training and soft skill development to ensure that you are up to date with training, to ensure quality care and support is provided. For example, you may start your journey as a domiciliary carer which requires no care experience, you would just need to be passionate about providing care and progress your career to become a complex carer through training and qualifications that we are able to provided you.
Work at Secure Healthcare
We are a nursing agency in Wolverhampton and we have many healthcare jobs across the Midlands and Staffordshire, offering flexible shifts to suit your availability and we offer high rates of pay. If you are seeking to secure a role within the healthcare industry, then check out our domiciliary roles, HCA, Complex carers and nurse roles local to you within the West Midlands and Staffordshire, using our job search tool or contact us on 0121 285 9449 to find out more. Pick up as many shifts as you want and choose shifts around your availability.

In the UK, as the age of the population increases, the population continues to rise by almost 10 million people in the UK over the next 25 years. With an ageing population, there is a continuous need for healthcare professionals. There are over 15.5 million people aged 60 and over, equivalent to 23% of the UK population. In the UK, the number of “older” old people continues to rise, there are over 3.2 million people aged 80 or over and this is forecasted to double by 2041. If you are passionate about providing care and support, then working in fast paced healthcare role, can be the most satisfying experience and there are great opportunities to progress.

With a care role, there are many challenges that occur and you are working with patients with various healthcare conditions, there will never be a boring day.

Making a difference to people’s lives
With a healthcare role, it is a great way to get to know your community and helping someone in need. If you are a passionate individual, who is helpful, kind and caring and want the opportunity to help those in your own community, then a role in care could be role just for you.

Flexible shifts
You will always be in demand for a healthcare role. Roles are flexible, which means you can pick shifts right for you. Whether you are seeking a full-time position, part time, or extra shifts, there is always shifts available. This is great for a good work life balance and you are in a position to drive your career.

No days are the same
When working within care, there is a variety of environments and individuals that you will work with, whether care is provided within a care home or home care setting. The experience gained over the years will give you transferable skills and knowledge to lead to better opportunities to progress your career.

Great opportunities to progress
Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, there is a variety of different roles which you could pursue, we have domiciliary care roles in the UK, which require no experience and it only requires a driving licence. With us, there is opportunities to gain qualifications and undertake training to develop your skills to apply in the workplace and to progress your career. For HCA, support worker, complex carer and Registered Nurse roles, 6 months experience is required. We are here to support you every step of the way.

complex carer
complex carer

Roles local to near where you live
As there is a high demand for care jobs, you can secure a role local to where you live. This reduces commute time to a workplace. This prevents you commuting every day and keeps your travels expenses very low.

Meet new people in the community and also healthcare professionals
A care job allows you to meet new people in your community, close to where you live, you are meeting multiple service users and also work collaboratively with a large team of carers and healthcare professionals to network and develop your knowledge and experience to support in progressing your career.

If you are seeking to secure a role within health care industry, then check out our domiciliary roles, HCA, Complex Carers and Nurse roles local to you within the West Midlands and Staffordshire, using our job search tool or contact us on 0121 285 9449 to find out more. Pick up as many shifts as you want and choose shifts around your availability.

Statistics reported by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) outline that young people aged 18-34 are most likely to apply to a care job, 64% and over half the people this age are open to changing their jobs to start a career in adult social care. At Secure Healthcare we understand that young individuals do not have any experience at a young age, which is why we have opportunities for individuals to start their careers with no experience.

For a healthcare role you have to be passionate about providing care and at times it can be very challenging, there may be problems that you have to solve at times.

A care job is varied, every day is fairly different and it involves you being on your feet a lot, compared to an office job which is very desk based. A career in care is about making a difference to people’s lives and there are opportunities to progress.

For an individual that has no experience, and if you are passionate about providing care, then starting your career as domiciliary carer is the best option.

Domiciliary care is when a carer visits the service user’s home to provide care and support in the comfort of their own home. With home care it may be for short periods of time, from one-two hours, several hours or 24-hour care. Providing home care services allows individuals to feel independent to allow them to live a quality life.

For a domiciliary carer, some of the day-to-day responsibilities include:
– Providing personal care such as washing and dressing
– Supporting patients to get in and out of bed
– Assistance with going to the toilet
– Help with preparing with daily meals
– Communicating with service users to provide the patient company
– Assisting with household tasks
– Aid with helping patients get around the house

(A domiciliary care role requires access to a vehicle)

Career
Career

A domiciliary care role is a great way to start your healthcare journey and it can open up an opportunity to become a care manager, alongside the experience, you will require an RMA qualification, NVQ 4, or QCF diploma. Click here to find out more.

If you are young individual that has 6 months care experience, but are seeking new opportunities, then a healthcare assistant could be the role that you are looking for.

When you have gained domiciliary experience and through our internal training and further qualifications, you have the opportunity to become a healthcare assistant, which is when care is generally provided more in care homes. When progressing to healthcare assistant roles, there is opportunities to become a complex carer within a home care setting or within a care home, through our internal training and development opportunities.

As a young individual, if you are seeking to start your journey within health care, then check out our domiciliary roles and HCA roles local to you within the West Midlands and Staffordshire, using our job search tool or contact us on 0121 285 9449 to find out more. Pick up as many shifts as you want and choose shifts around your availability.

Working as a healthcare assistant, the role is generally varied and can include working alongside Nurses in care homes, hospitals or within GP’s.
If you are considering a career in care, then becoming an HCA could be the role for you to specialise.

For a HCA role, there is no set requirements, however there is certain skills and personal characteristics that you must have for you to pursue this career option.
– You need to be patient and have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
– Have a caring and friendly personality
– For this role stamina and endurance is required, as there is a lot movement involved
– Great communication skills to use effectively with service users and great listening skills
– Ability to work well with others, this includes service users, healthcare professionals and with family members
– Excellent written and spoken English skills are required
– Willing to undertake personal care (washing, assisting with toilet etc.)

Working as HCA has many responsibilities, these could be regular routine responsibilities and can also change depending on the clients needs, you need to have the ability to adapt to certain situations.

As a healthcare assistant, you will be providing care and support to those in need:
– Washing and dressing patients if required
– Serving and assisting with food preparation to feed patients
– Assistance with movement around the house
– Making and changing beds
– Assistance with toileting
– Taking and recording basic interventions such as blood pressure, temperature and finger prick testing, weight etc.
– Listening and talking with patients
– Sterilising equipment
– Keeping supplies and equipment in order
– Administering basic medicine and bandaging wounds if required. For this, HCA’s will be provided training to apply this
to service users

Healthcare Assistant
Healthcare Assistant

How Secure Healthcare could help?
Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, we require 6 months experience and we provide full training to allow you to gain skills and knowledge to support service users. Our services are regulated by the CQC.

We will not throw you in the deep end, we can arrange shadow shifts to be completed. This is where, you will shadow a senior member of the team, allowing you to get hands on experience, gain confidence and understand the role. This is a great opportunity for you to ask any questions.

For our healthcare assistants, we provide ongoing support, through training and qualifications, we also supervise and carry out spot checks to identify any potential training needs.

At Secure Healthcare, you can choose when you want to work, so if you require full-time hours, part time or extra shifts alongside your regular job, then a flexible role could be just for you.

Secure Healthcare is always hiring health care assistants across the West Midlands and Staffordshire. We are always seeking highly passionate health care workers to join our care team. If you believe, you have the right skills and characteristics, or want to find out more about the benefits of working for Secure Healthcare.

Sobia’s experience of working as a healthcare assistant

Sobia’s experience of working as a healthcare assistant at Secure Healthcare.

“For a healthcare assistant role, you have to have a strong character and be passionate about providing care. Working as a carer is not an easy ride, there is daily responsibilities based on individual client needs, however there is unexpected challenges that arise over the course of providing care”.

We have healthcare jobs across the Midlands & Staffordshire, whether you are seeking part time, full time or the odd shifts around your availability, then discover the latest roles using our job search tool or contact our recruitment team on 0121 285 9449.

The Problem

Cavell Nurses’ Trust spoke to over 2,200 nurses, midwives and HCAs about financial hardship and deprivation, domestic abuse, health, illness, wellbeing and employment. Here’s what we found:

  • Nurses are nearly twice as likely as the average person to be unable to afford basic necessities like beds, washing machines and keeping their homes warm
  • Two in five nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants have a long-term physical or mental illness that limits their day-to-day activity
  • Nurses are 3 times more likely to have experienced domestic abuse in the last year

“This is appalling, and we’re taking action”

Will you be here for nurses?

Cavell Nurses’ Trust gives money and support to nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants (HCAs) who are facing financial hardship, often because of illness, domestic abuse and the effects of older age. If you believe we should be here for nurses, please join us and take action at cavellnursestrust.org/research If you’re a nurse, midwife, HCA or work in healthcare, please take action and help your colleagues at cavellnursestrust.org/ research

Still caring

In spite of all this, nursing professionals are getting on with the vital job of caring for the UK. Nurses give so much to us all. They help bring our children into the world. They care for us when we’re dying. They’re here for us with care and compassion at the darkest and the brightest moments in-between.

About Cavell Nurses’ Trust

Cavell Nurses’ Trust is here for nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants (HCAs) with money and support when they are experiencing personal or financial hardship. We also help people who are retired or have changed profession and help students in exceptional situations. We’re proud to offer a listening ear and practical support to everyone who gets in touch. Cavell Nurses’ Trust was established in 1917 following the execution of British nurse Edith Cavell in WW1. She helped 200 Allied soldiers reach freedom from German-occupied Belgium and Cavell Nurses’ Trust is her living legacy. We’re proud to maintain Edith’s values of compassion, courage and care in the work we do. Put simply, we’re #HereForNurses

“I was devastated; the idea that I wouldn’t walk again and be unable

to return to work was horrible. I couldn’t imagine my life without nursing”

In 2010, nurse Michelle’s life changed forever. Until then, she’d worked with new born babies suffering heart problems and loved every minute of it, but increasing pain in her lower back turned into bad news – two ruptured discs. It soon became clear that Michelle would be a wheelchair user for the rest of her life. Michelle’s determination was strong and after five months in hospital and six months rehabilitation, she was ready to return to work. But costly modifications were needed to her wheelchair so Cavell Nurses’ Trust was able to secure funding to convert her manual wheelchair into an electric one. This help has ensured Michelle’s return to work as a Cardiac Education Nurse.

“The help I’ve received from Cavell Nurses’ Trust has been life changing, I will be forever grateful to them.”

A student job in a nursing home opened Louise’s* eyes to a career caring for others and after qualifying in 2005, she nursed in her local hospital. Now a nurse and mother, Louise found her life took a bad turn as her partner was becoming increasingly abusive towards her – physically, emotionally and financially. She ended up in a women’s refuge with a bag of clothes and a toy for each child. Cavell Nurses’ Trust was quickly able to fund items for Louise’s new home and pay her registration costs, allowing her to return to her beloved nursing career.

“I’ve given so much during my nursing career and I’m so grateful to know that Cavell Nurses’ Trust

are there for me if I need help.”

Could this report be a catalyst for making a change?

The money and support Cavell Nurses’ Trust gives must be made available to more and more people. To do this we need to raise awareness of the cause described in this report. We need to raise awareness of the help available. And we need to raise the funds to make it all happen. Cavell Nurses’ Trust can only do this with your support. So I ask you to consider how you, the people you know and the people you work with, could be here for nurses too.

What is Hypotention ?

Doctors measure blood pressure using two numbers – the first and higher of the two is called the systolic blood pressure, and it occurs when the heart beats and fills the arteries of the body with blood. The lower number is called the diastolic blood pressure, and it’s the pressure in the heart when it rests between heartbeats. A normal blood pressure is said to be in the region of 120/80mmHg (systolic/diastolic) and doctors spend a lot of time dealing with people with high blood pressure. Use a blood pressure chart to see what your blood pressure means.

Low blood pressure (hypotension) on the other hand often requires no treatment but elderly people in particular can find it a problem, especially when standing up from sitting or lying down. In general terms, the medical advice is that the lower the blood pressure the better, and for most people their blood pressure rarely falls below 90/60.

Recognition

However, low blood pressure can sometimes mean there’s not enough blood flowing to your brain and other vital organs, which can lead to symptoms such as:

What to do if you have symptoms

If you think you may be experiencing an episode of low blood pressure, you should:

  • stop what you’re doing
  • sit or lie down
  • drink some water

The symptoms will usually pass after a few seconds or minutes.

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you have frequent symptoms of low blood pressure. Your GP can measure your blood pressure and help identify any underlying causes of the problem. Read more about diagnosing low blood pressure.

Low blood pressure after suddenly standing up

If you experience symptoms of low pressure after changing positions, such as standing up, it’s known as postural, or orthostatic, hypotension. Symptoms shouldn’t last longer than a few seconds, as your blood pressure will adjust to your new position. This type of low blood pressure tends to affect people more as they get older, when it can lead to more frequent falls. Similar symptoms may also occur after exercise.

Low blood pressure after eating

If you experience symptoms after eating, it’s known as postprandial hypotension. It occurs more often in older people, particularly in those who have high blood pressure or conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes mellitus. After a meal, your intestines need a large amount of blood for digestion. If your heart rate doesn’t increase enough to maintain blood pressure, your blood pressure will fall, causing symptoms.

Low blood pressure after standing for long periods

Some people experience symptoms after standing up for long periods of time. This is sometimes known as neutrally mediated hypotension, and most often affects children and young adults.

Read more about the causes of low blood pressure and High blood pressure in the elderly

What is Hypotention ?

Doctors measure blood pressure using two numbers – the first and higher of the two is called the systolic blood pressure, and it occurs when the heart beats and fills the arteries of the body with blood. The lower number is called the diastolic blood pressure, and it’s the pressure in the heart when it rests between heartbeats. A normal blood pressure is said to be in the region of 120/80mmHg (systolic/diastolic) and doctors spend a lot of time dealing with people with high blood pressure. Use a blood pressure chart to see what your blood pressure means.

Low blood pressure (hypotension) on the other hand often requires no treatment but elderly people in particular can find it a problem, especially when standing up from sitting or lying down. In general terms, the medical advice is that the lower the blood pressure the better, and for most people their blood pressure rarely falls below 90/60.

Recognition

However, low blood pressure can sometimes mean there’s not enough blood flowing to your brain and other vital organs, which can lead to symptoms such as:

What to do if you have symptoms

If you think you may be experiencing an episode of low blood pressure, you should:

  • stop what you’re doing
  • sit or lie down
  • drink some water

The symptoms will usually pass after a few seconds or minutes.

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you have frequent symptoms of low blood pressure. Your GP can measure your blood pressure and help identify any underlying causes of the problem. Read more about diagnosing low blood pressure.

Low blood pressure after suddenly standing up

If you experience symptoms of low pressure after changing positions, such as standing up, it’s known as postural, or orthostatic, hypotension. Symptoms shouldn’t last longer than a few seconds, as your blood pressure will adjust to your new position. This type of low blood pressure tends to affect people more as they get older, when it can lead to more frequent falls. Similar symptoms may also occur after exercise.

Low blood pressure after eating

If you experience symptoms after eating, it’s known as postprandial hypotension. It occurs more often in older people, particularly in those who have high blood pressure or conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes mellitus. After a meal, your intestines need a large amount of blood for digestion. If your heart rate doesn’t increase enough to maintain blood pressure, your blood pressure will fall, causing symptoms.

Low blood pressure after standing for long periods

Some people experience symptoms after standing up for long periods of time. This is sometimes known as neutrally mediated hypotension, and most often affects children and young adults.

Read more about the causes of low blood pressure and High blood pressure in the elderly